History of Mondovi

The etymology of the name of the city of Mondovi has its roots in the Latin "Mons Vicus" ["Mountain Village"]. According to G..B. Pellegrini, around 1214, it was called "Monte de Vico" and then it was also called "Royal Mount", or "mountain belonging to the royal domain” (See G.B. Pellegrini, "Italian toponymy", Milan, Hoepli, 1990: 235).

According to documents, Mondovi was founded in 1198, after the destruction of the city of “Bredolo”. The survivors joined in a new free and indipendent community. The independence of the town, however, was brief, as the bishop of Asti, allied with the Marquis of Ceva, managed to capture it in 1200, and later, in 1231, to destroy it. It rose again in 1232 and, forming an alliance with Milan,  Savigliano and Cuneo, resisted the new attack of Asti. In 1260 it was occupied by Charles I of Anjou (1226-1285), who extended largely his domain in the Piedmont.

In 1274 it returned under the bishops of Asti. In 1290, upon payment of a sum of money, it obtained the recognition of its autonomy. The large sovereign rights and privileges obtained by the city gave rise to the name by which it was called throughout the Middle Ages, or "Mons Regalis" [“Royal Mount”]. In 1305 the city suffered a second rule of the Anjou, to whom succeeded the Visconti,  Marquis of Monferrato,  Achaia and, since 1418, the Savoy.

Since then Mondovi became, in the sixteenth century, the most populous city of Piedmont. In 1537 it was occupied by the French and, with ups and downs, it remained under their rule until 1559. In 1560 Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy (1528-1580) restored the domain.

After its entry into the kingdom of Italy (1861), from the early twentieth century, the city widened the table-land facing the hill. The modern city has thus moved its center of gravity towards the new industrial and residential districts, where some economic activities are developed.